Ribbon feed mechanism



July 13, 1965 l.. szELuGA 3,194,379

RIBBON FEED MEGHANISM Filed April 5, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYSJuly 13, 1965 L. szELUGA RIBBON FEED MECHANISM 4 Sheets-SheetI 2 FiledApril 5, 1963 oww ATTORNEYS July 1 3, 1965 SZELUGA RIBBON FEED MECHANISM4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 5, 1965` FIG. 2

INVENTOR LUDWICK SZELUGA amm v/m BY ATTORNEYS July 13, 1965 L. szELUGARIBBON FEED MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 5, 1965 INVENTORLUDWICK SZELUGA 014404, Va-4A (wf-zs im@ ATTORNEYS United States PatentO $594,379 RIEBGN FEED MECHANISM Ludwick Szelnga, Wrapping, Conn.,assigner to Royal Moldes Corporation, New York, NPY., a corporation ofNew York Eiled Apr. S, 1963, Ser. N 271,001 8 Claims. (Cl. 1197-151)This invention relates to an improved ribbon feed mechanism for a poweroperated typewriter and more particuluriy to a selectively operablefabric or carbon ribbon feed mechanism capable of automatic reversalduring fabric ribbon feed.

To increase their versatility modern electric typewriters are capableor" using fabric or carbon ribbon and are proprovided with feedmechanisms therefor. lt has been roposed (see US. Patents 1,722,937,2,616,547 and 3,038,582) to power' the fabric ribbon feed and/ or theribbon feed reverse mechanism from the power roll rather that thecarriage drive spring barrel, but these proposals do not provide forselective fabric or carbon ribbon feed driven from a common source ofpower other than the spring barrel or a type bar linkage.

lt is accordingly among the objects of this invention to provide asimple and reliable fabric or carbon feed mechanism that is selectivelyoperable to be driven from a Vcommon drive shaft powered by thetypewriter power roll to feed fabric or carbon ribbon and to operate thefabric ribbon reversing mechanism. Other objects will be in partapparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

. In accordance with my invention the mechanism includes a universal barthat is operative in response to depression of any alpha-numerical keylever to trigger a roll cam into engagement with the power roll. As thecam is driven it rocks a lever on which it is mounted to engage a wrapspring clutch between the lever and a drive shaft whereby such shaft isintermittently driven by successive triggering of the roll cam. Thisdrive shaft is, in turn, selectively connectable with the fabric ribbonspool spindies and a carbon ribbon feed mechanism whereby either fabricor carbon ribbon is optionally employable. Conventional fabric ribbonreversing mechanism is employed but is operated by the roll cam leverrather than in the conventional manner.

In the drawing wherein I have shown a preferred emrnodiment of theinvention and wherein similar reference characters refer to similarparts throughout the several views.

FlGURE l is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the mechanism (thefabric ribbon feed and reversing portions) looking from the inside ofthe typewriter toward the left hand side thereof and taken along theline l-l of FGURE 2;

FIGURE 1A. is an enlarged elevation showing another fragment of themechanism (the common drive for fabric or carbon ribbon feed) viewed inthe same direction as the fragment of FIGURE l, the common line X-X inFIGURES l and 1A indicating the center line of common portions of thetwo fragments;

FIGURE 2 is a reduced fragmentary front elevation of the mechanism;

FGURE 3 is a reduced exploded isometric view of portions of themechanism shown in FIGURES l and 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of the machanism shownin FIGURE 2.

Ribbon drive mechanism i Referring first to FIGURE 1A, the drivemechanism for the fabric and carbon feed is generally indicated at llland comprises ay number of elements which, for the most part, aremounted on a bracket generally indicated at ll having an outer sideplate lla adapted to be secured to ice the side frame F of thetypewriter in any suitable manner. The bracket also includes an innerside plate lib and a back plate llc, the several plates preferably beingintegral and so disposed that the bracket is U-shaped in horizontalsection. A drive shaft l2 is rotatably mounted in plates lia and lib andis constrained to counterclockwise movement only in a manner and for apurpose described below. A U-shaped drive lever generally indicated at13 (see also FIGURE 3) comprises sides 13a and 13b integrally connectcdby a top bar flic, the lever being rockably mounted on shaft l2, whichextends through sides 13a and 13b thereof, and being biased clockwise bya spring ld conected at one end to an ear i3d on the lever and a lug ltdon bracket il. A wrapped spring drive clutch l5 is wound around shaftl2, has one end ld connected to a pin lle on lever side i317), and is socoiled as to engage shaft l?. and drive it counterclockwise when lever13 is rocked counterclockwise during its drive stroke and as todisengage upon clockwise rocking of the lever on its return stroke. Topreclude clockwise rotation of shaft 12 during' the return stroke of thelever, a no-back wrapped spring clutch lo is wound on shaft i2, has oneend 16a fastened to a pin 1li' fastened to bracket side 11b and is socoiled as to prevent such clockwise rotation of shaft l2. it may now beseen that as drive lever l is oscillated (as will be described) driveshaft l?. is intermittently driven but counterclockwise only.

A drive pin lil is mounted on the end of lever side i315 and is embracedby the bifurcated end fila of one arm 19h yof a bell crank l pivotallymounted on a stud shaft 2d carried by the machine frame. The other arrnlQc of bell crank i9 has a roll carn 2l eccentrically mounted thereon asby a pin Z2, the cam carrying a stud 21a which anchors one end of areturn spring 23 whose other end is fastened to a lug la? comprising anintegral portion of bell crank 19. Cam 2i is located adjacent a powerroll 2.4, rotatably mounted and driven in conventional manner, and isadapted to engage the power roll when the mechanism is triggered bydepression of an alpha-numerical key as will now be described.

Aciialion ribbon drive mechanism Still referring to FGURES 1A and 3, thefree end of bracket side lib carries a pin 25 on which a triggergeneraily indicated at 26 is rockably mounted. The trigger includes anactuating bar 2da and a hooked trip arm 26h adapted to hold and releasea pin 27 mounted through the end of lever side 13a, a spring Zd beinginterconnected to bar 26a and bracket lug Md to bias the triggercounterclockwise to its holding position shown in FIGURE 1A. Aconventional universal bar 253 is pivotally connected to bracket side1lb and is adapted to be rocked clockwise by a typical key sub-lever(comprising an element of one of several type bar operating power unitswhich may resemble that shown in said Patent 2,616,547), upon depressionof the key (not shown) associated with the sublever, against trigger bar26a to rock trigger 2e clockwise. When the trigger is so rocked its hookarm 26b releases pin 2'7 permitting spring i4 to rock lever 13 clockwiseforcing pin 18 upwardly to rock bell crank i9 clockwise thus to engageroll cam il with power roll 2d. Because of the eccentricity of cam 21its engagement with the power roll results in bell crank 19 being drivencounterclockwise. ln practice when the cam 2l has rotated about l5()degrees, the bell crank has been given its maximum counterclockwisemovement. It should be noted that the degree rotation of the cam isillustrative only, the degree of rotation thereof depending on thedesign of the cam and other geometrical considerations of no relevancehere.

As bell crank t9 rocks counterclockwise, its bifurcated end 19a driveslever drive pin i8 downwardly thus rocking lever 13 counterclockwise torotate shaft l2 counterclockwise as described above.' After the bellcrank reaches its maximum downward swing, spring 14 acting. 2

throughlever 13 and pin 1S returns the bell crank to its` normal, i.e.inactive FIGURE lA position. also be noted that in the meantime,universal bar 29 has returned to its rest position and spring 2S hasrehooked trigger arm 26b over pin 27.

It'will now Yappear that repeated release operation of trigger 26 bysuccessive key depressions results in intermittent counterclockwiseactuation of drive shaft 12,it` now being noted that this shaft is apower output shaft Fabric ribbon feed mechanism As shown in FIGURE 2,drive shaft 12 carriesy a spur geart) which meshes with a gear 31mounted on a pin 32 j for both rotational and axial movement relativethereto, the pin being secured to the machine side frame F and carryingan expansion spring 33 between the hub of gear 31 and a washer 34 on theend ofthe pin. The spring 1 It should yieldably biases gear 31 to theleft to mesh :with gear 30 but permits out-of-mesh movementof gear 31 tothe right for a purpose to be described.

The fabric ribbon feed mechanismassembly is generally indicated at 49(FIGURE 2) most of the elements there.

of being mounted on a bracket generally indicated at.41 (FIGURE 2). Thisbracket includes a main mounting plate .41a by which the entire assembly49 is suitably secured to machine frame` F. The bracket includes upperand lower horizontal mounting plates 41b and 41e which n rotatablysupport a fabricribbon spool spindle `42, plate `41b also providing asupport for a ribbon spoolrcut 43 adapted to receive a fabric ribbonspool 44. Y This, spool may be similar to that shown in U.S. Patent2,880,841,` and accordingly includes a reversing cam 44a that moves.

to the dotted line position (FIGURE 1) vwhen the ribbon is substantiallyunwound from the spool 44 to effect reverse ribbon feed as will bedescribed below. The -upper end of spindle42 is drivingly received inthe core of spool 44 and its lower end has a bevel gear 45attached-thereto.

A tab 41d (FIGURE 2) extends downwardly from plate 41e and rotatablysupports one end 46a of a cross shaftv with-a bevel gear 51 secured to.the lower end of rib-k bon spool spindle 52 journalled in bracket 47.'Thisl spindle is similar to spindle 42 .and its upper end is received ina ribbon spool 53 similiar to spool 44 and accordingly being providedwith a reversing cam 53a. Cross shaft 46 also carries a collar 54between` which and tab;41d an expansion spring 55 is disposed, thisspring yieldably. biasing the cross shaft to the right as viewed inFIGURE 1v 2'to cause bevel gears 50 and 51 tomesh.

It may now'be seenthatwhen drive shaft 12 is driven:

as described above, vits gear 30 drives gear 31 to drive pinion 48 andaccordingly cross shaft 46. Depending upon which .of the sets of bevelgears 45 and 49 or 50 and 51 are in mesh spindle 42 or 52 is driven thusto .feed

ribbon from spool 44 or 53., the driven spool being the take-up spooland the idling spool being the supply spool.`

Fabric ribbon reversing rneclzanismV The .mechanism for automaticallyreversing Y-the di- Vrection of fabric ribbon feed is actuated vby thepin 27 (FIGURES AlA and 3) on lever side 13a, the location of thedriving connection between this pin and the reverS-' ing mechanism beingindicated by the line X-.-X in FIG- URI-ES l andlAr, Bracket 41g is alsointegral'with side plate 41fandis coplanar with upperV flange 41e'. Areversing lever, generally in. dicated at 60, is pivotallymountedonri'langefi-le and is biased.counterclockwiseby a;spring oliconnectedbe tween the. leverand flange 41er This. lever, at its upper end,includes an arcuate laterally projecting camX 60a.. which lies` inthepath of travel of the-foot144b on revers# ing cam 44a so as to beengaged thereby -when the ribbon on spool 44 is `suflc'ientlyunwoundftherefromto release cam 44a and permit ittorock intoY the dottedlineV position shown in'FIGUREl For a-moredetailedldescrip-v `tion ofthis structure and its operation reference is made to said U.S. Patent3,038,582. When lever60 is so Vengaged itisrOcked: clockwise (FIGUREI)against the'bias of the return spring v61. Y Y i Lever. 6l) (see alsoFIGURE .3) includes a lug 60h to .which is riveted a downwardlyextending resilient'legvv 62 adapted to yieldingly bear 'against-'a lobe.63aformed on an actuator generally indicated Yat 63. This actuatorVincludes'a hook63b and ay Vstop `63e ,and also includesA an` arm 63dwhich is pivotally connected as Yby a pin 65"(FIG- URE l) to the upperend 66a of a bell crank lever 66 in turn pivotally. mounted onV loweriange 411g bya pin 67.'.

A spring 64.interconnects bell crank 66 andibracket wall 41fto..yieldingly bias the bell crankv .counterclockwise,

such movementbeing limited by agstop 66bnon the bell crank engaging'bracket Ipl'atellc. Bell crank 66 includes a lug-66o which{anchorsfoneend .off a spring the other y end of which iskconnecteditoactuator stop 63C' thus to yieldably biasthe actuator63"counterclockwiseito the .eX-

tent of the engagement of its stop 63e' againstlthe edge .off bell.crank166s A cam. 69 is integrally formed onthe lower end ofthe. bellcrank and includes a cam surface 69H7` v (FIGURE 3) which fis adaptedto. .engage ,thehub:48d

of pinionv 48 when v.the bell crankl isrocked` clockwise in a manner tobe described. :,When the-pinionhub is so engaged pinion 48and-accordinglyfcross'shaft 46vare 1 Y shifted to the left (FIGURE 2)against the push of spring; Y 55` causing bevel gears 49 .and 45 tomesh'and bevels 50@V and 51 tounme'sh, thus reversing thev ribbon spooldrive;

as described in detail in .said U.S.Pat`ent 3,038,582.

In order toY hold the; several gears in thisi'position shaft 46 has acollar 70 fastened thereto lagainst which a detent arm71 .is adapted torest when the parts fare ,intheir FIGURE 2 position. This armcomprisesathe' lowerend of a link72 pivotally` mountedion the machineframe as4 at 73, the upper, end of vthis link carryingV a .cam .74,-similar. in construction and operationV to cam 60a, which coactsV withreversing cam 53a1on spool. .515..` Thus whenshaft1 46. is shifted totheleft (FIGURE 2). asdescribedabove i. to reverse the. ribbon feed,collar .70 shifts with thelshaft to the VVleft of farm 71'which,from'the bias of a spring;I 72a, swings toward andagainst--shaft 46 4;adjacentrfthe: right hand side of'collar 27040 hold the shaft. andbevel; l-

gears-in their; shifted (reverse feed) position(Y In view of theforegoingV it may now f be. -seen thatil fabric ribbon .reversalfresultsas follows. n With the partsA in theiry solid line positions V(FIGURES'land 2) ribbon;` is being `unwound vfrorn'spool 44 and ,isi beingY taken1up on spool 53.` When suicient ribbon has been taken off spool 44-torelease reversing cam ,44a (FIGURE'). iti.

drops' to its broken -line position-Where. it, willV interceptcambrzand-.infso doing*V rock` leven 601lclockwise to its Y broken linepositionycausing resilient.l arm 16210 press. 4 against4 actuator lobe63a to vrock z 1c tuatorj61' clockwise. Y This positions actuator:hoolrtlbI in the vpath of travel. of!

pin l27 on leversidela' so that onthe downward stroke of lever 13 byvirtue o foperatio'n of drive shaftlZ as described above vpin 27travelsdownwardly fromits FIG- URE '1 broken linel positionfto engageVhook 63Vbandthus (FIGURE V51') 'includes .av ange 41e lyingin a planeparalleltto plate 41kt to which 1` itis integrally. joined by a sideplate 411. A. lower ange t to swing cam 69 against pinion hub fidacausing shaft 46 to shift to the left (FIGURE 2). This results inmeshing of bevels 45 and 49 and unrneshing of bevels 50 and Sli thus toreverse the ribbon take-up action from spool 53 to spool 44. When theribbon is substantially unwound from spool 53, its cam lever 53a forcesarm 71 away from shaft 46 and clear of collar 70 so that spring 55 isenabled to shift shaft 46 thus to re-engage bevels 50 and 51 anddisengage bevels 45 and 49 so that the ribbon feed is again reversed,i.e. spool 44 again becomes the take-up spool.

Carbon ribbon feed mechanism This mechanism does not include any ribbonreversing means as carbon ribbon is used but once and is then discarded.Common drive shaft 12, as noted above, also operates the carbon ribbonmechanism. With reference to FIGURES 2 and 4, the left hand end of shaft12 has a carbon ribbon feed roll 80 secured thereto. The shaft end alsocarries a pulley 81, a friction disc 82 being disposed between thispulley and bracket plate 41. An expansion spring 83 is coiled aroundshaft 12 between roll 80 and pulley 81 to force the pulley against thefriction disc for a purpose to be described.

A pressure roll 84 is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 85 secured to anarm S6 (FIGURE 1A) pivotally mounted on the machine frame in anysuitable manner. Arm 86 includes a leg 85a to which one end of a spring87 is fastened, the other spring end being fastened to the frame thus toyieldably bias arm 86 counterclockwise so that pressure roll 84 and feedroll 80 may grip the carbon ribbon. Thus rotation of shaft 12 rotatesfeed roll 80 to feed carbon ribbon.

A take-up spool 88 (FIGURE 2) is rotatably mounted on frame F andincludes a pulley 88a. A belt 89 is trained around pulleys 81 and 88awhereby the former drives the latter and accordingly spool 88. Thefriction disc 82 referred to above permits slippage of pulley 81 onshaft 12 to accommodate the increasing amount of used ribbon wound onspool 8S.

When fabric ribbon is being used it is desirable to disable the carbonribbon feed mechanism. To this end a lever generally indicated at 90(see also FiG- URE 4) is pivotally mounted on a pin 91 secured to slideplate 41f of bracket 41 and includes a handle 90a, a shifting foot 90b,and a pulley lock 90C. When lever 90 is pivoted clockwise, as viewed inFIGURE 4, lock 90C thereon enters one of several notches 81a formed inpulley 81 so that the shaft 12 slips in the pulley when the shaft isrotated. A lug 90d comprises an integral part of lever 90 and underliesa lip 861) comprising a portion of pressure roll arm 86. When lever 90is pivoted as described lug 90d engages lip 86h to rock arm 85 clockwisethus to move the pressure roll 84 upwardly away from carbon ribbon feedroll 80 thus disabling the carbon ribbon feed mechanism. By the sametoken when carbon ribbon is being used it is desirable to disable thefabric ribbon feed mechanism. Shifting foot 90b on lever 90 is providedfor this purpose. This foot is disposed adjacent gear 31. Thus Whenlever 90 is pivoted counterclockwise, its foot 90b engages the side ofgear 31 and forces it to the right (FIGURE 2) against the pressure ofspring 33 until it is unmeshed from gear 30 thus disabling the drive tothe fabric ribbon feed mechanism. A pair of detent slots 41h are formedin bracket 41 to receive the upper end 90a of lever 90 thus to hold itin either of its operative positions.

In order to condition the above described mechanism for cutting astencil it is desirable to disable shaft 12 so that neither the fabricnor carbon ribbon feed mechanisms will be driven. To this end an arm 92(FIGURE 1A) is pivotally mounted on the machine frame in `any suitablemanner and includes a finger 92a adapted to be swung behind lever 13when the arm 92 is appropriately pivoted. With the finger so positionedlever 13 will not rock upon operation of trigger 25 as described andaccordingly shaft 12 will not be driven. Hence a stencil may be cutwithout any ribbon being fed.

It may now be seen that I have provided a power driven fabric or carbonribbon feed mechanism that attains the several objects set forth abovein a thoroughly practical and efficient manner.

I claim:

i.. In a power driven typewriter having a power roll,

a plurality of actuatable key sub-levers and a universal bar adapted tobe operated by an actuated sub-lever, the combination of,

mechanism for feeding fabric ribbon,

mechanism for feeding carbon ribbon,

a common drive shaft,

means to selectively couple said shaft to said mechanisms for operatingone or the other of them,

and means driven by said power roll and responsive to operation of saiduniversal bar for driving said cornmon drive shaft.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including manually operable means todisable said common drive to preclude operation of either of saidmechanisms.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1l wherein said fabric ribbon feedingmechanism includes a rotatable shaft,

a train of gears forming a driving connection between said shafts,

and means mounting one of the gears of said train for axial movementinto and out of mesh with at least one other gear of said train wherebysaid fabric ribbon feeding mechanism shaft may be coupled to oruncoupled from said common drive shaft.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said carbon ribbon feedmechanism includes a drive pulley frictionally connected to said commonshaft, and means to restrain rotation of said pulley when said shaft iscoupled to said fabric ribbon feeding mechanism.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said fabric ribbon feedingmechanism includes a rotatable shaft and said carbon ribbon feedingmechanism includes a drive pulley frictionally connected to said commonshaft,

and manually operable means to couple said common drive shaft to saidfabric ribbon feeding mechanism shaft and at the same time restrainoperation of said pulley thereby to enable said fabric ribbon feedingmechanism and disable said carbon ribbon feeding mechanism.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 including manually operable meansassociated with saidV power roll driven means to disable both of saidribbon feeding mechanisms to enable cutting of a stencil without anyribbon feed.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second mentioned meansincludes an oscillatable lever mounted on said shaft, and clutch meansengageable upon operation of said universal bar to connect said lever tosaid shaft whereby said shaft is operated every time said universal baris operated.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 including means perated by said powerroll to oscillate said oscillatable ever.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,278,009 3/42Handley 1974-169 2,616,547 11/52 Dodge 197-162 2,734,614 2/56 Page197-151 2,930,470 3/60 Roller et al. 197-151 2,978,089 4/61 Dodge et al.197--161 2,996,165 8/61 Morris 197-84 3,038,582 6/62l Frechette et al.197-160 3,048,254 8/62 Morris 197-151 3,104,750 9/63 Canny et al.197-156 ROBERT PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A POWER DRIVEN TYPEWRITER HAVING A POWER ROLL, A PLURALITY OFACTUATABLE KEY SUB-LEVERS AND A UNIVERSAL BAR ADAPTED TO BE OPERATED BYAN ACTUATED SUB-LEVER, THE COMBINATION OF, MECHANISM FOR FEEDING FABRICRIBBON, MECHANISM FOR FEEDING CARBON RIBBON, A COMMON DRIVE SHAFT, MEANSTO SELECTIVELY COUPLE SAID SHAFT TO SAID MECHANISMS FOR OPERATING ONE ORTHE OTHER OF THEM, AND MEANS DRIVEN BY SAID POWER TOLL AND RESPONSIVE TOOPERATION OF SAID UNIVERSAL BAR FOR DRIVING SAID COMMON DRIVE SHAFT.